After some serious thinking I decided I will use the bigger area of my basement for my HO train layout since I was very limited with that weird shape size room,
Again I want to thank everyone who helped out on my old room layout thread, especially Stein and Paul who came up with some great ideas!
Here’s the plan of the new room, hopefully it should be easier to work with.
The stairs decsend towards the 6’.9" wall, the wall along the stairs can’t be used as I need space to walk to the other area of the room, I would prefer the layout mostly on the right side of the room, along the 9’and 11’ feet walls and also along the bottom space, I was thinking a L,U,E orF shape layout or whatever works best within the space. but need to be at least 5 -6 feet away from the stairs wall
PLEASE NOTE! The bottom line on the plan is not a wall, just a imaginary line seperating my basement from the home theater room section, but the layout can continue within that line,
Era will be the 1950’s running both freight and passengers 1930-40’s steam engines, would like to run at least 1 continious,
Are you looking for a generic layout - or do you have a vision of a particular region or scenes in mind?
You talk about 1950s passenger cars. What kind of radius are you comfortable with? Will you run shorties, like Athearn, on 18" radius? Will Rivarossi or AHC with truck mounted couplers suffice? Or do you want 30" radius with Walters cars, no modifications? The radius is going to pretty much control the layout shape, especially with a continuous run mandated?
What kind of operations are you truly interested in? Watching trains run (rail fan) through a scenic element? Switching? Timetable operations? If interested in switching, what type of uncoupling will you use (drives locations of spurs and main)? What type of control - walk-around? Central panel (drives linearity and aisles)?
How big an aisle do you want? What is priority of aisle space to extra track? What is minimum acceptable aisle? How many operators in the aisle? If more than one operator, will they be controlling trains from the same place?
I’ve drawn two plans for a reason. The waterwing or dogbone is possible in your new space, but radius and switch number are rather limited.
My first concern would be the steam engines with their long rigid wheelframe. Multiply the length of your longest engine (without the tender) times 4 and you have a minimum radius. Do the same with the length of your longest coach, now times 3, and you have a minimum radius again. Take the biggest of the two and you have your minimum radius. It would’t surprise me if the result is about 30". If that’s your call the way to go is a donut type footprint. The Hog, presented on this forum many times, and a smaller version of Pelle Soeborg’s UP (102 Realistic Track Plans #93) are great exemples of this type of layout.
A donut shape would definetely be the best option to not limit myself to a certain type of engines. I will check out Pelle’s layouts.
Hello Fred, thank you for chiming in
It could be a generic layout, I would like to run trains threw a scenic element, nothing fancy but something realistic, the switching I would like but it’s not a priority, I like hills, trees a small town with a train station, very common elements I guess for newbie, I like double tracks and at least one continuous running, I like the big steam engines, so yes I need a big radius.
As it shows I’m very new to this hobby and learning everyday, I’m attending as many train shows I can, lucky me here in Montreal, Canada train modeling is very popular, I already met some talented people.
[1] My first thought too, was this space as already outlined here, was perfect for a “U-shaped” layout.
[2] The 2’ x 6’ bottom-of-steps could provide a workbench, library shelves, etc.
This next idea will add more planning complexity & up-front research, but may well be worth the long-termeffort____…
[3] You might consider a two-level “U-shaped” layout with a helix in one of the corners – to then expand into lower-level staging with scenery potential. A 2-track helix would add more flexibility; one track for up & one track for down, and; staging and/or industry could shoot off of the helix at different levels. You do have the corner space for a generous helix track radius, and; if you like this idea – do take your good old time to be sure to do it right.
Check out the Gallitzin Tunnels at Tunnel Hill for some scenery design-inspiration when tracks emerge from a helix.
Two helpful PDF-downloads in my personal library for helix, staging, and yard-design…
Don’t let “operations” in the latter book’s title throw you off as virtually every major prototype yard design is concisely explained. Frank Ellison was a layout design & operati
I don’t know what your particular space looks like other than what you’ve drawn, but its possible you might have room to tuck the helix into the space under/behind the stairs and thus be able to keep the whole layout area you’ve designated for actual out-in-the-open and scenicked railroad.
Good idea but I can’t use the stairs area, the layout will only be on the right side of the room, without touching the stairs wall, Paul drew a few perfect examples, now I’m undeciced if I should go Donut shape which would eliminate my minimum radius probelm.
Is there a specific reason for the 5 to 6 foot clearance to the stairs? That limits you to an 11 by 7 to 8ft space? Very tight for big curves (24in plus).
Donut would give the radius, but does limit the height of the benchwork to allow for duck-under access (but does maximize scenery for the public in the media room). If you consider that side a stage with trains entering and leaving, it might suggest other design elements for effective operations.
The reason for the stairs clearance is esthetics, but maily need a corridor to go to the next room of the basement, I can get away with a 4 feet wide path between the layout and the stairs wall.
The room is not that big, coming down the basement the layout will be over overwhelming, I want a nice train layout but I also have love for a home theater and a big movie prop collection.
I mentioned a shortened (length wise) version of Pelle Soeborg’s UP layout. It is doable with a 30" radius; a smaller radius (24" - 27") would make the plan more elegant however… The bad thing is, Pelle ended up with a double drop-in; the good thing about his design, is his track through unspoiled nature at the “wrong” side of his layout. This is the visible part when entering your room. Because this part has no switches, all operation can be done from the central pit.
